My EdTech Life

Episode 327:  Learning & Development, Instructional Design, and AI Talk with Holly Owens  In this episode, I had the honor of chatting with Holly Owens [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollyowens/], host of EdUp EdTech [https://www.edupedtech.com/], Director of Growth Marketing at Yellowdig [https://www.yellowdig.co/], and all-around L&D powerhouse. We talk about everything from instructional design to AI in learning, what "proficiency" really means, and how educators can pivot into the world of L&D with confidence. If you're an educator, learning designer, or someone navigating the fast-moving world of EdTech, this one's packed with takeaways you’ll want to keep coming back to. We go deep on human-first learning, ethical red flags with AI, and the importance of not letting imposter syndrome get in your way. Whether you’re pivoting careers or just trying to stay ahead of the curve, Holly brings the fire. 🔗 Connect with Holly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollyowens/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollyowens/] 🎧 Listen to the EdUp EdTech Podcast: https://www.edupedtech.com/ [https://www.edupedtech.com/] 👇 Check out the full breakdown and timestamps below: ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome and intro  01:00 – Meet Holly Owens  03:00 – Holly’s journey from K-12 to L&D  05:30 – From marketing to education and vice versa  07:00 – The power of knowing your learners  09:00 – Human-first learning and why it matters  11:00 – Helping educators pivot and grow  14:00 – AI in learning: Hype vs. reality  17:00 – TruePeer and other AI tools Holly’s using  19:00 – Evaluating EdTech through an accessibility lens  21:00 – When to use AI—and when not to  24:00 – Losing your voice to AI? Here's Holly’s take  26:30 – AI and the emotional gap  28:00 – Digital wellness and AI companions  31:00 – What does proficiency in EdTech really mean?  33:00 – Navigating tech with teacher instincts  36:00 – Change management in the L&D world  38:00 – Ethical red flags in instructional design  40:00 – Not every problem needs a training  42:00 – AI and automation: What’s next?  44:00 – What skills are still uniquely human?  46:00 – Where to connect with Holly  47:00 – Rapid-fire Q&A: Kryptonite, billboards, and Taylor Swift? 🙏 A huge thanks to our amazing sponsors:  Book Creator [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] | Eduaide.A [https://www.eduaide.ai/]I | Yellowdig [https://www.yellowdig.co/] 💻 Visit https://www.myedtech.life [https://www.myedtech.life] for more episodes, resources, and guest spotlights. 🎧 Until next time… Stay Techie! Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]

What Does It Mean to Be Digitally Well? | with Teodora Pavkovic  In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Teodora Pavkovic [https://www.linkedin.com/in/teodorapavkovic/], psychologist, speaker, and digital wellness expert at Linewize [https://www.linewize.com], to unpack how technology shapes our emotions, identity, and relationships. From AI companions and algorithmic influence to parenting in the age of chatbots, Teodora offers practical wisdom and actionable strategies for families and schools seeking healthy digital habits. We dive into why digital platforms aren’t just neutral tools, how emotional regulation is critical in tech use, and what educators can do right now to foster balance in digitally connected classrooms. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 - Intro & Welcome  02:10 - What is Digital Wellness?  06:15 - Are Digital Platforms Truly Neutral Tools?  10:22 - The Rise of AI Companions for Kids  15:03 - Parasocial Relationships with Chatbots  18:50 - How Tech Impacts Identity and Self-Perception  22:11 - Helping Kids Navigate AI and Social Media  27:30 - Why Families Must Co-Play and Co-Reflect  31:00 - The ABCs of Digital Parenting  34:15 - What Schools Can Do Differently  37:40 - The Real Role of Screen Time  41:05 - Teaching Emotional Regulation in a Digital World  45:12 - The Future of EdTech with AI In Mind  48:27 - Final Advice for Parents and Educators  50:10 - Teodora's Billboard Message: "You Are Human"  52:30 - Closing Thoughts 🙏 Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: * Book Creator — Empower every student to become an author. https://bookcreator.com [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] * Eduaide.AI — Teacher support at the speed of AI. https://eduaide.ai [https://eduaide.ai] * Yellowdig — Build community through conversation. https://www.yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co] Thank you for supporting My EdTech Life and the mission to amplify educator and student voices around the world. 📢 Subscribe, like, and leave a comment to keep these conversations going.  🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast app or watch here on YouTube.  🌐 Visit https://www.myedtech.life [https://www.myedtech.life] for more episodes. Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]

Digital Dangers Facing Our Kids with Andy Murphy In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sat down with Andy Murphy [https://www.thesecuredad.com/], also known as The Secure Dad, to talk about the uncomfortable truth: kids are being targeted online, and it’s not a fair fight. We unpack how predators use everyday platforms like games and social media to groom and manipulate children, often right under their parents' noses. Andy drops powerful insights that every parent, educator, and EdTech leader needs to hear. Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, or someone working in digital safety, this episode will shift the way you see online interactions. 👊 Let’s protect our kids by staying informed and building stronger conversations at home and in our classrooms. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 - Intro: Why this episode matters 02:18 - “It’s not a fair fight” — How predators approach kids 06:03 - Why predators use gaming platforms 10:45 - The danger of old phones and open access 14:20 - YouTube in the living room: Proximity matters 17:50 - Red flags parents need to watch for 22:10 - “My kid would never…” and the blind spots it causes 25:33 - Open conversations > parental controls 29:00 - Teaching kids to protect themselves online 33:45 - Final advice for parents and educators 36:20 - How to connect with The Secure Dad 39:00 - Wrap-up and sponsor shoutouts 🔥 BIG THANKS to our sponsors! 🙏 Book Creator – Empower your students to become published authors with an intuitive, creative platform. https://bookcreator.com [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] 🙏 Yellowdig – A community-focused learning platform that turns passive learners into engaged contributors. https://www.yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co] 🙏 Eduaide.AI – Your co-teacher in the classroom. Create lesson plans, assessments, and more using safe, educator-friendly AI. https://eduaide.ai [https://eduaide.ai] 📢 Subscribe for weekly conversations with educators, innovators, and creators who are shaping the future of learning. 👉 Drop a comment, share this episode with your community, and hit that like button to support the mission. 🎧 Stay Techie. Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]

Episode 324 – Charlie Meyer: The AI Hype, EdTech Snake Oil & What Teachers Actually Want  In this episode of My EdTech Life, I sit down with Charlie Meyer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-meyer-57709688/], small business owner and creator of Pickcode [https://pickcode.io/], to unpack the growing wave of AI solutionism in education. From being shouted at over not using AI to asking hard questions like, “Would you trust a vibe-coded site with your bank info?”, Charlie brings the heat, the honesty, and the humor. If you’re an educator, policymaker, EdTech builder, or investor—this is a conversation you don’t want to miss. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro & shoutout to sponsors 02:00 - Who is Charlie Meyer? [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-meyer-57709688/] From CS major to classroom teacher to Pickcode 05:00 - The AI hype: Charlie gets yelled at for not using AI 08:00 - Small biz vs. VC startups: Who’s actually listening to teachers? 10:30 - The silver bullet myth: Why AI promises fall flat in classrooms 15:00 - Where do we draw the line on AI delegation? 17:30 - Real talk on student-teacher relationships & AI disruption 21:00 - AI feedback loops: Are students and teachers both being sidelined? 22:30 - Spotting snake oil: How to vet EdTech products built on buzz 24:00 - If AI tools were honest: “I don’t know you. I don’t care. I’m a matrix in a data center.” 26:00 - Pedagogy in a silo: Personalized ≠ human 28:00 - What Charlie [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-meyer-57709688/] would tell an AI founder who’s never taught 31:00 - Why most teachers aren’t asking for AI—and that’s OK 33:00 - The accountability gap: Who’s vetting these tools? 36:00 - “Move fast and break things” ≠ Classroom values 40:00 - AI tools vs. real classroom pain points 42:00 - Why Pickcode solves real problems without AI 45:00 - Vibe coding exposed: Would you bank on AI-written code? 54:00 - Final thoughts: The bet on GPT-6 & the future of AI in EdTech 57:00 - Charlie’s lightning round: kryptonite, billboards, and his dog’s perfect life 01:01:00 - Final reflections & stay techie! 🔗 Explore More 🌐 Visit Pickcode: https://www.pickcode.io [https://pickcode.io/] 💬 Connect with Charlie Meyer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-meyer-57709688/] 🎧 Catch every episode: https://www.myedtech.life [https://www.myedtech.life] 🙌 Special thanks to our sponsors: Book Creator [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] | Eduaide.ai [https://www.eduaide.ai/]| Yellowdig [https://www.yellowdig.co/] | Pocketalk [https://www.pocketalk.com/education] 📣 Don’t forget to like, comment, and share if this episode challenged your thinking or made you laugh. Let’s build smarter, safer EdTech—together. Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]

AI Ethics, Overreliance & Honest Talk with Jen Manly In this episode of My EdTech Life, Fonz sits down with returning guest Jen Manly [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermanly/], a computer science educator, TikTok powerhouse [https://www.tiktok.com/@strategicclassroom?lang=en], and advocate for ethical tech use, to unpack the complex relationship between AI, teaching, and critical thinking. From data privacy concerns to AI detectors that fail our students, this conversation gets real about what’s hype, what’s helpful, and what needs more scrutiny. Whether you're cautiously curious or deep in the AI trenches, this episode offers clarity, nuance, and practical insight from a seasoned voice. 👏 Huge thanks to our sponsors: 🛠️ Book Creator [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] – Amplify student voice 📚 Eduaide.AI [https://eduaide.ai] – AI-powered teaching assistant 🌐 Yellowdig [https://yellowdig.co] – Connect learning communities 📌 Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome & Sponsor Shoutouts 02:00 – Meet Jen Manly: Her work, mission, and CS journey 04:30 – Teaching AI ethics before it was trendy 05:45 – The ChatGPT launch and why mass acceptance raised red flags 08:15 – AI “Fight Club” and the divide in EdTech reactions 11:30 – Is AI really saving time for teachers? 13:45 – Rubrics, productivity hacks, and the danger of using AI for everything 17:10 – Platform overpromises and pricing concerns 19:00 – Environmental cost of AI and hidden labor 22:00 – How AI systems encode and amplify bias 25:45 – AI grading? Why Jen draws the line 27:30 – Why AI detectors (like Turnitin) miss the mark 32:00 – Building assessments that don’t benefit from AI use 36:00 – The illusion of "just Google it" vs thoughtful search 37:00 – What real AI literacy looks like 39:30 – Age-appropriate and ethical integration of AI tools 42:00 – Tech ≠ Learning: The unplugged approach 44:00 – How to teach agency without tech overload 47:00 – Final thoughts, reminders, and calls for caution 49:00 – Jen’s “AI Kryptonite” and billboard message 51:00 – Wrap-up & CTA 🔗 Connect with Jen Manly: 🎥 TikTok: @strategicclassroom [https://www.tiktok.com/@strategicclassroom?lang=en] 🌐 Website: https://learningandteachingblog.com/ [https://learningandteachingblog.com/] 🎧 Catch more episodes and resources at: 🌍 www.myedtech.life [http://www.myedtech.life] 📢 Don’t forget to like, comment, subscribe, and share! Your support helps amplify educator voices and build a more informed and thoughtful EdTech community. Authentic engagement, inclusion, and learning across the curriculum for ALL your students. Teachers love Book Creator. [https://bookcreator.com/?utm_campaign=4566333-H1%202025%20Be%20an%20Author%20Month&utm_source=myedtechlife&utm_medium=podcast] Yellowdig is transforming higher education by building online communities that drive engagement and collaboration. My EdTech Life  [https://www.myedtech.life/]is proud to partner with Yellowdig to amplify its mission. See how Yellowdig can revolutionize your campus—visit Yellowdig.co [https://www.yellowdig.co/]today! Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myedtechlife]